Christmas time at Grimmauld Place, some very unhappy news and Harry plans for his future.
A/N: I own nothing this is all J.K.R.'s, what a brilliant mind she has.
Chapter Twenty-Two – A Very Happy Christmas
Grimmauld Place. Grimmauld Place at Christmas time was far from happy for Harry. He should have been ecstatic that he was getting away from Hogwarts for a little while, especially after the article. Harry had sat with his head in his hands as Hermione had read it to him. He didn't want to see the picture on the front page that some one had taken of him at the ball. He looked scary and dangerous, but powerful beyond imagining. The populace of Britain had seemed to praise him based on the picture alone, and all but a few hidden articles were announcing that he was going to be the savior of the Wizarding world, again. Not to mention his entire life story was printed in every newspaper and magazine across the country. Harry had just wanted to burry himself to get away from it all.
That had all changed when he had arrived a Grimmauld Place. There had been an order meeting just breaking up and the stares and comments that he had gotten had made him wish to be back at Hogwarts, even with his new gaggle of admirers. Dumbledore seemed not to know when to keep his mouth shut. Harry may have believed that he had deserved it, but most of the worse remarks had come from the elder Weasleys. Harry had stopped in the entrance hall and tried to take every comment with a mask of cold detachment, but even he couldn't hide that the scathing remarks hurt him.
"ENOUGH! Leave him alone! Don't you think Harry's suffered enough? Listen to you people. True, Harry made a really bad choice, but he's living with it. I think that's punishment enough," Ginny suddenly yelled and Harry looked at her in total surprise, as did everyone else. They all looked at her as if they'd never seen her before, as if she'd never really mattered before.
"It's alright Ginny, thank you, but everything they've said is true," Harry said quietly before he left the hall with his bag slung over his shoulder and headed for Sirius' bedroom. Ron followed quickly behind him.
"Harry, Dumbledore wanted us to keep sharing a room," Ron said hesitantly.
Harry kept walking. "Of Course he did." As he reached Sirius' room, Harry felt a heaviness settle on his heart and he knew that this was going to be the worse Christmas he would ever have.
By Christmas Eve, everyone seemed to be a little cheerier, but not Harry, if it were possible he was more upset then he had been in a really long time. Voldemort had killed nine families on Christmas Eve and Harry had been forced to watch. His link with Voldemort had finally returned, and Harry felt that he would never be alone again. He felt as if Voldemort could see everything he could, and to an extent, it was probably true.
It was three o'clock in the morning when Harry had finally been released from Voldemort's mind, and he hadn't yet gone back to sleep. By six, he had been up and dressed and had completed most of his homework that was given for over the break. Harry sat in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place alone, staring at the cold fireplace. He would have gotten up and lit it if he had thought that the warmth of the fire could help chase away the images of the night before.
Hermione, who had decided to stay with them for the holidays, came into the dark kitchen, spilling light in from the hallway. "Harry, are you alright?"
Harry turned his head towards her, he had tears streaming down his face and he felt that he was shaking as he tried to keep back sobs. "No," Harry managed to whispered.
"Oh, Harry," Hermione took the seat next him and wrapped her arms around him. Harry didn't pull away, instead he buried his face in her shoulder and let himself cry, just as he had done with his mum in his dream. He needed this comfort.
When Molly Weasley had come in a little while later, Harry had fallen asleep in Hermione's embrace. He had woken up at the sound of the door opening and now looked thoroughly embarrassed as he disentangle himself from Hermione. Molly took one look at Harry and turned from Weasley Mom to Order member in the blink of an eye.
"What's happened, Harry?"
Harry put his head in his hands, hiding his face. "Voldemort murdered nine families last night," he whispered after a few moments. His voice was just barely devoid of the emotions he felt. Hermione gasped beside him and Molly paled.
"Nine," she gasped and then ran to the kitchen door. "Authur, Remus! Come quickly!" Mr. Weasley came into the kitchen with Remus on his heals, less then a minute later.
"What's happened?" Mr. Weasley asked as he took in his wife, and then Harry and Hermione.
"Harry just told me 'You Know Who' murdered nine families last night," sobbed Mrs. Weasley.
Remus looked at Harry worriedly, "You saw this?"
Harry shot his head up. "Of course I saw it," Harry blurted angrily and then he put his head in his hands again. "I should have known what he'd do, but they were supposed to be safe." Harry looked back up with tears in his eyes. "God, Remus, I hated them, but they didn't deserve this. They were all the family I had left," Harry began to sob again and then Hermione's arms were around him again, and again Harry didn't pull away.
Authur Weasley was the first to break the silence that settled over all of them. "I'll be at the Ministry. Harry, I'm sorry," he said lightly before he left the kitchen, passing Ginny and Ron on the way.
Molly hugged both her children as they came in with worried faces. "The Dursley's were killed last night," she whispered softly.
After another long moment of silence, Harry moved away from Hermione with fire in his eyes. He got up from the table. "It's just another reason, in the long list of reasons why I have to kill him," Harry said as he moved out of the kitchen. He was done crying, all it was doing was proving to Riddle that he was weak.
Harry went back up to Sirius' room. He sat on the bed for a long time, just staring at himself in the mirror that hug on the back of his closed door. He had changed so much since the end of fifth year. His hair was past his shoulders, his eyes seemed greener, and his body was more defined. He was no longer the weak, scrawny kid that had once stared back at him. Harry's eyes suddenly darted to another door in the room. Harry had almost forgotten. He stood up to go to the closet when his door opened and Ginny came in.
"Oh, sorry, I forgot to knock," she whispered and then left the room, closing the door behind her. After a moment, there was a knock at the door and Harry suppressed a small smile.
"You can come in Ginny." Ginny came back in with uncertainty in her eyes and then she smiled when Harry gave her a small but sad smile. "Is there something you need Ginny?"
Ginny opened her mouth as if to say something but closed it again and shook her head. "I just thought you might want some company."
Harry looked out into the deserted hall behind her and then closed his door. He turned back to Ginny, slightly biting his lip. He needed to trust someone and everyone else he knew would go straight to Dumbledore. "Ginny, if I show you something, will you promise not to tell anyone?"
Ginny looked uncertain for a moment before she nodded. "Sure."
Harry walked to Sirius' closed, kicked the boxes that were piled up in front of it out of the way, and opened the door. Harry entered into Sirius' closet. He felt a little foolish, but said the password towards the back wall anyways. "Kreacher," Harry waited and waited and... nothing happened. Harry had expected a hidden room to be revealed or something. Harry scratched his head, and looked around on the floor... nothing. He turned to leave and that was when it hit him, literally. It fell from the ceiling and hit him on the head. Harry looked up to see a small trap door resealing itself. "Clever." He looked down at his feet. There it was, and Harry knew instantly what had been left for him, he had read all about it. Harry picked up the tiny object. It was no larger then an English pound, and silver in color, but it swirled with magic. Sadly, this was the answer to all of Harry's problems, and there was only one of them in the world.
Harry walked back out holding the pendant to his heart for a moment. Before he held it up for Ginny to see, he took a deep breath in and then let it out in a heavy sigh. "We learned about this in History of Magic third year, do you remember?"
Before Harry's question had barely started to leave his mouth, Ginny's fell open in utter shock. "H-Harry, that can't be," she shook her head. "Binns told us that all of them were destroyed on Ministry orders. It was one of the few classes that he got so many questions, that he dismissed us early so he wouldn't have to answer them all."
Harry quirked a small smile. He remembered when he had that lesson too, it had interested everyone so much that many, especially the Muggleborns, had gone to the library right after class, and begged Hermione to help them find out why the Ministry of Magic would destroy such a useful tool. Harry hadn't been overly interested, as he was at the time, worrying about being killed by Sirius. "It is what you think it is. It's one of the pendants from the Castitas Magus Project."
"We never did learn much about the project, except that the pendants could supposedly turn Muggles and squibs into Wizards. How did you get one?" Ginny asked.
"You didn't think that my parents did nothing for a living did you? My mum worked for the Department of Mysteries. Sirius told me last year, but I hadn't thought anything of it, as I'd never heard of it before at that point. I'd completely forgotten about it really, it only dawned on me this summer that Binns had read off the list of inventors in class, L. Evens was one of them, Lily Evens. My mum was one of the inventors and she gave one to Sirius. I suppose she knew that the ministry was going to destroy them," Harry shrugged. "Sirius left it for me, my mum left it for me."
"Ok, so say that is one of the pendants, why do you have it? Why would your mum leave it for you?" Ginny questioned.
"Turning Muggles and squibs into Wizards is not the only thing this can do. It's really, why they were destroyed. This takes pure magic and transfers it to someone else. All life has pure magic, just some have more then others. Obviously, Muggles and squibs have less and Wizards more, but we already know this. So what would happen if I took this and used it on Voldemort? What if I took all of his pure magic and transferred it to me? It'd leave him relatively powerless, he'd be no more then a squib, if less," Harry said excitement almost in his voice.
"But Harry, that'd kill you! No one can take that much pure magic into themselves, they'd burn up from the inside and die!" Ginny exclaimed with worry washing across her paling face.
Harry clenched his fist around the pendant. "I know, it's why I told you. I know that this is going to sound odd, but I promised my mum that I'd try and find another way to destroy Riddle, but he's just too powerful. I don't see any other way. If I take his pure magic, Dumbledore, anyone really, will be able to kill him."
"But Harry…" Ginny began tears coming into her eyes.
"I don't want to die, really I don't, but I'm thinking realistically Ginny. He's eventually going to succeed in killing me anyways. I might as well take him down with me," Harry stopped her protests. "There's another reason why I told you, and this is something that can not leave this room. Before I tell you, promise me that you will not tell anyone," Harry's voice dropped into an almost deadly whisper.
Ginny stared at him for several silent moments before she nodded. "I promise."
Harry sat down on his bed and looked up to the girl. "My parents found a way to harness Phoenix Song, somehow they were able to make me do it as well. I don't know how, but it's how I survived the Killing Curse as a baby, and then again during the attack on the castle. I guess my mum didn't have enough time to save herself when Voldemort came to kill me, but my dad did. Ginny, my father's alive, somewhere. Sirius told me in his will."
Ginny sat down on the bed in complete shock. "Alive, but all the articles, all the texts on your parents…"
"It's what everyone believes, but it's not true."
"And you haven't tried to find him?" Ginny suddenly asked.
"No, Sirius told me not to. He stayed away for a reason, and I respect that. I'm telling this to you because," Harry said in whispery voice. "After I die, I want you to try and find him. I'm going to leave a letter in my vault for him. I'll leave you access to it in my will. I want you to give him the letter for me, it's important."
Ginny looked at Harry with sad eyes. "I don't know why you want me too, but some how, however long it takes, I will find him for you, but Harry I don't want you to die."
Harry hugged Ginny and breathed out sadly, "I know, thank you."
Ginny pulled away after a while. "You know Harry, it's still Christmas, even though it's been a miserable one, we still have presents down stairs," Ginny said attempting to put a smile on her face.
Even though Ginny failed horribly at trying to make Harry happy, she did try and Harry smiled because of it. He brushed a stray lock of her dark red hair out of her eyes. "You always try to cheer me up, I don't deserve it, but thank you." Harry stood up and pocketing the pendant he had been holding in his fist, he grabbed Ginny's hand. "Come on, lets go open presents. It's Christmas and I want to be happy." Tears came to his eyes as he led Ginny out of his room and down to the drawing room that held a rather large and fat Christmas tree. All Harry was thinking was that this was probably going to be his last Christmas alive and he was determined to enjoy it.
When Harry and Ginny entered into the drawing room, it was to see that Mrs. Weasley, Ron, the twins, and Hermione were all sitting in a semi circle, in chairs that faced the Christmas tree. They all were looking rather forlorn. Harry plopped down in a chair, which was next to Ron and Hermione, Ginny sat in the one next to him. She was deep in her own thoughts just as everyone else was, but Harry took it upon himself to bring them all out of them.
"So, Ginny had this wonderful idea and I agree with her. This may be a very miserable day, but it's still Christmas, and I for one want to be happy. I'm opening my presents. Want to join," Harry's eyes didn't smile, but his mouth did, and that brought everyone around, that and his uplifting words. Harry didn't honestly care about any of the presents. He was happy just being with everyone. Harry found it ironic that just a couple of days ago, all he wanted was to be alone, and now he wouldn't trade his time with all of them for anything.
Ginny grabbed a present from under the tree and tossed it at Ron, and then another, which she handed to Hermione, and then more to Fred, George and Mrs. Weasley. She grabbed one and gave it to Harry, and then one for herself. "Well open you're presents everyone. I can't wait to see the lot I got," Ginny, even with the heavy burdened of Harry's secrets that she now held, plastered a smile of her face that brought every ones spirits up.
The rest of Christmas had gone about with a strained happiness, but Harry was content with it. He felt as if some weights had been lifted off his shoulders with sharing the last of his secrets with Ginny. Why he had picked her, he didn't really know, but out of all of his friends, she was the one person he felt closest to. She was smarter then everyone gave her credit for. She knew that he was turning dark, long before he realized, but she trusted him to handle it himself. Maybe she always knew that he would eventually pull himself out of it.
The Holiday went by fairly quickly, and it was the day before they were to return to Hogwarts, that Harry found himself standing in the entryway to Gringotts. He was wrapped in an overstuffed Muggle winter jacket with a nit black cap covering his hair and scar. He waited with his head low, as not to be noticed, in a rather large line. He was two people away from the goblin clerk when his mark started to tingle. Harry made sure his cap was low enough to hide his features. A Death Eater had just walked in.
Ginny was covering for him while he was away. He had decided that if he was going to follow through with his plans that he was going to need to make some major changes to his accounts, not to mention make out a will. Harry finally stepped up to the goblin. "I need to speak to someone about making adjustments to my account."
"Of course, wait over there someone will be along shortly."
Harry moved aside to a sitting area that the goblin had pointed to. He had barely had the chance to sit when a short, well-dressed goblin came out and motioned for Harry to follow him. They walked through several corridors in silence before they came to a door with a gold faceplate on it that held a name Harry wouldn't even try to pronounce. The goblin opened the door, bowed, and then left Harry in the room. Harry moved further into the room to find another goblin sitting behind a large desk.
"Welcome Mr. Potter, I was told that you were wanting to make adjustments to your accounts," the very business like goblin announced.
Harry sat down in one of the chairs across from the goblin. "Accounts, I have more then one?"
"Of course you do, most family lines as old as yours have several accounts," the goblin answered amusedly.
"Could I see information on all of them?" Harry asked.
"Yes, in fact, I think it's about time you see all of the information on everything that has been left to you, from one family member or another. I'm surprised you hadn't come in sooner," the goblin stated as he reached into a wooden filing cabinet behind him, and pulled out a think folder. "This holds information on everything that is in your accounts and everything that is linked to your accounts in someway."
Harry took the folder and opened it. It was neatly organized and even had a contents page. Harry's mouth literally dropped open when he read the amount that all six of his accounts were worth, total. "Is that number correct? T-that can't be true."
"Yes, Mr. Potter, you are a very rich young man, most wealthy in Britain, actually." Harry nearly dropped the folder in shock. "Of course that number includes the price on holdings, large companies, small businesses and the ample amount of stock that your grandfather kept."
Harry turned the page to see the holdings. One was the obvious, Grimmauld Place, which read unplotable next to it. Harry turned the next page that showed Godric's Hollow and next to it read destroyed. Again, Harry turned the next page, which showed a large regal looking mansion in a city, that Harry had never heard of before in France. He assumed it was Wizarding. This one read unoccupied. On the next page, there was what looked to be a small building that could have been half apartment and half shop. The label said that it was located in Heidelberg, Germany, and that it was currently occupied. Harry looked up from the folder.
"This one says it's occupied, do you know who by?" Harry asked.
The goblin took the folder and turned the page. "All it says is Mr. JH, and it says he's a Muggle and an uncle of yours. Interesting, I've dealt with you and your father's accounts for the entire time I've been employed here and I wasn't aware that your father had a brother."
Harry took back the folder, and smirked, he'd just located his father, he was sure of it. "He doesn't, perhaps the relationship was written incorrectly." Harry took another moment to glance through the rest of the information of his six accounts. He owned two large companies, three small businesses, one of which was located in Heidelberg, Germany, and huge amounts of stock in many companies that ran out of Diagon Alley and some in France. Of them, there was only one that Harry had any interest in at all.
Harry put the folder down. "Ok, I think I understand most of this. Here's what I need to do. I'm selling all of my stock, except for the Nimbus Company stock. I'd like to open another account, and close all of my others, except for the one directly under my name, so all I have are the two. The new account I'd like to have placed under the name Mr. JH, with allowing him access to it and myself. I want to transfer everything from Sirius Black's former account to mine and everything else from the other accounts into Mr. JH's account. And I'd like to make out a will."
The goblin had been jotting all of this down and nodded his head as Harry finished. "I'll have everything drawn up right away and everything transferred the second everything is signed."
Harry flipped back through the folder as the goblin disappeared to get the necessary paperwork. Harry had noticed that all of the accounts he owned were labeled as all having vaults here in the bank. There was his, Sirius', the Potter Family Vault, the Black Family Vault and then two unnamed vaults that had only numbers, 636 and 639, those were labeled for his businesses and his companies and each held millions of Galleons.
An hour later, Harry left the bank with a bit of a cramped hand but a satisfied smirk on his face. He had left a will divvying everything from his vault amongst the Weasley's, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Remus. Neville and Luna he was giving smaller portions but he felt that they deserved something for following him into the Department of Mysteries. He left letters to each of them with personal messages. Ginny, he also left with the letter for his father and how to find him, now that he knew. The account and Vault that accompanied it, was left in his, his father's and Mr. JH's name, so who ever came to the bank, whether it was him, his father or his father in disguise as JH, could access the Vault.
Harry slipped back into Grimmauld place near an hour later, via an unsecured window, which had been the same way he had gotten out. Sirius really was a genius. There was an invisible, if not rickety ladder attached to the outside of his room, just below his window. The pendant, which he now had secured around his neck, hadn't been the only thing that Harry had found in the crawl space above Sirius' closet. After closer inspection, he had also found several books on Animagus and Human Transfiguration, and a map of Grimmauld Place, that was much like the Marauders Map, except without a password, and it highlighted magically concealed items all over the mansion. Hence, how Harry had found the ladder, and how Harry was able to know that Ginny was currently coming up the stairs to 'check on him,' as she was to be the first one to volunteer when, not if, Mrs. Weasley asked.
Harry opened his door just as she had gone to knock and pulled her in. Harry didn't know what had possessed him, but one minute he was pulling Ginny in by her robes and the next, he was kissing her, and she wasn't pulling away, or crying. Harry broke the kiss just as soon as his brain caught up to what he was doing and he took a step back. "I'm sorry, I don't…" Harry had been forced to stop talking as Ginny was now kissing him. Just as he was starting to enjoy himself, his logical sense caught up with him and he broke the kiss again. What was he doing, had he not just made out a will? "Ginny I'm sorry, I can't do this."
Ginny looked at him with raw disappointment and hurt in her eyes, before they softened to sadness and understanding. "I know," she whispered as she turned to leave Harry's room, stubbornly swiping at a tear as she closed the door behind her.
Harry sat down heavily on his bed and put his head in his hands, why did he always hurt the people that he cared about the most? Harry sighed out angrily, "Soon, soon it'll all be over."
A/N: Well maybe not such a happy Christmas, only a couple more chapters left. I hope you've enjoyed this story so far. :)